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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28605756">Nightmares &amp; Nighttime Musings</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linnrinn/pseuds/Linnrinn'>Linnrinn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Death Is Only The Beginning... [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Old Guard (Movie 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:21:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,139</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28605756</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linnrinn/pseuds/Linnrinn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Andy and Quynh, nightmares and pillow talk.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Andy | Andromache of Scythia/Quynh | Noriko</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Death Is Only The Beginning... [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2066418</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Nightmares &amp; Nighttime Musings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This one takes place right before the events of my "Sinking Ships" story. This can probably be read on its own without too much confusion, but it is a part of a series if you want to backtrack to the beginning and get the full picture.</p><p>as per usual, any person fluent in a language i reluctantly had to turn to google translate for is welcome to give me corrections!</p><p>I was so excited to get to write something with Andy and Quynh! I wished i could see more of them together in the movie!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Quynh gasped awake, a scream dying on her lips. Panting, she frantically looked around the unfamiliar room, trying to determine where she was. A hotel room in Singapore. Nondescript and unremarkable, but clean. They were here to rescue Booker from Kozak’s laboratory ship.</p><p>The last dredges of the same dream scratched at the edges of her mind. Her rasping breaths echoed loudly in her ears. Sweat dripped down her ribs and the back of her neck.</p><p>“Quynh?”</p><p>The sound of the one person she cherished most shook her from the last vestiges of the dream’s hold. A bedside lamp was turned on. Andy appeared in front of her, strong hands curling to cradle her face.</p><p>“I’m here, <em>người yêu,” </em>Andy said firmly, but gently. “You are safe.”</p><p>“Andromache-” Quynh gasped and reached forward to throw her arms around her.</p><p>“Shh,” the other woman’s hands gently smoothed her hair as she rocked her gently. Quynh shuddered, burying her face in Andy’s neck, body trembling.</p><p>They sat like that for a long time, until the tremors eased and Quynh pulled away enough to lean her head on Andy’s shoulder. Andy shifted to lean against the headboard, situating Quynh so that her head stayed on Andy’s shoulder and her legs were thrown over Andy’s thighs. The comforter was pulled up around them.</p><p>“Bad dream, again,” Andy asked quietly.</p><p>Quynh nodded.</p><p>“Tell me?”</p><p>The younger woman sighed and paused before answering. “Much of it is always the same, Andromache. I am locked in that iron coffin and I feel that terrifying weightlessness as I fall into the water.  I’m scared, so scared that I suck in water immediately. I keep calling for you but you don’t come for me. And it’s dark. Just endless darkness.”</p><p>Andy’s arms tightened fiercely around her. “Were that I able to slay those demons for you.”</p><p>“This time, I dreamt you were the one throwing me in. I watched through the water as you leaned over the side of the boat.” The younger woman looked aggrieved to admit it.</p><p>Andy stills, motionless for a moment before she looks down into Quynh’s haunted dark brown eyes. Her own green eyes were filled with grief and self-loathing, bleakness lining her features. “I may as well have. I failed you.”</p><p>Fine black brows winged together in Quynh's distress. “How can I be so confused? My dreams tell me the same, but my heart cries a denial.” Her fingers reached up to card Andy’s brown bangs from her eyes. “How can I hate you and love you all at the same time?”</p><p>The older woman reached under her pillow and drew a knife. She placed it gently in Quynh’s hand, then guided that hand to her own neck.</p><p>“Ease your hate if you need to, <em>tình yêu của tôi,</em>” Andy whispered, not faltering at the whisper of sharp metal against her throat. “Whatever deaths I have left are yours.”</p><p>Quynh’s dark eyes shimmered and she shook her head adamantly. The knife pulled away and was returned to its safe place under Andy’s pillow.</p><p>“I cannot guarantee it would ease my hate, but my love for you will not allow me to do so regardless,” She sniffled. “And I do not want to waste the time we have. I would rather have the rest of your life than the remainder of your deaths.”</p><p>“Whatever you would have of me,” Andy agreed, her lips coming to rest on the top of Quynh’s head.</p><p>“I’m scared,” Quynh whispered.</p><p>“Of what?”</p><p>“Going on that boat to rescue Booker,” she whispered, a note of shame tinting her voice. “It feels like the floor of the deck will just disappear at any moment and I will be underwater again. It makes me feel like I will be crumbled into pieces.” Quynh’s voice raised in distress and her breathing rate sped up. Andy recalled the other immortal’s unease the last time they had to take a ferry across a channel. Quynh had retreated inside of herself, hands gripping Andy’s with white knuckles and her lips pressed together in a thin line. She’d said little for the duration and had been withdrawn for days afterwards, despite all they’d did to coax her back to them.</p><p>“It’s alright, <em>người yêu, </em>“Andy assured her. “I’ve already been thinking we need someone to protect Copley while we board the boat.”</p><p>“I can tell when you are lying, Andromache,” Quynh snapped. “I do not want to leave you alone!”</p><p>“I won’t be alone. I have the others.”</p><p>“But not <em>me</em>,” Quynh insisted, again her voice rising anxiously.</p><p>“Hey, hey.” Andy interrupted, hands moving to cradle her face lovingly. Her gently brushed against Quynh’s cheekbones, a soothing and affectionate touch. “I will be fine, Quynh. I will come back to you. I’m not mortal anymore.”</p><p>“I know…it’s just…I don’t want to be left behind.”</p><p>Andy turned Quynh’s face upward to look into her eyes. “You are not being left behind. I know being out on the water is extremely difficult, love, and that’s to be expected. We don’t know how you will react in the middle of battle on the water. So, stay with Copley. He is the one in charge of the exit strategy, and he must stay safe. And I want to see you safe as well. Please.”</p><p>Quynh nodded miserably in agreement. “I’m sorry I am a burden.”</p><p>“You are anything but. My burden was life <em>without</em> you in it.” Andy traced a finger gently over the bridge of Quynh’s nose, barely skimming the softness of her skin. She continued across both cheekbones, then forehead to temple and jawline, memorizing and taking her in with hunger.</p><p>Quynh closed her eyes, reveling in the caress as she whispered, “I am going to get better, Andromache. I will.” Quynh opened her eyes again to find only assurance and love in the Scythian’s face. Not a hint of doubt or hesitation.</p><p>Andy smiled. “I know you will. And it would not matter if you didn’t. I would love you any way that you are.”</p><p>Quynh drifted her face closer. “I’m not sure I know how to get better.”</p><p>“We will find a way together.”</p><p>“You and me?” Quynh breathed against Andy’s lips.</p><p>“Always.”</p><p>Upon uttering that assurance, their lips sealed together with aching softness, the brushing of their mouths igniting a glowing warmth that was quickly stoked when Andy’s tongue slipped into her lover’s mouth and caressed Quynh’s. She tilted forward to lay Quynh flat and hovered above her, caging the other woman in with her body.</p><p>Quynh whimpered.</p><p>Andy hummed in response.</p><p>Two pairs of hands roamed with abandon.</p><p>Together, they painted over their fears and failures, erasing it with their passion. Two intertwined souls with centuries of love withstood their drowning pain and would continue to weather the centuries to come.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>*người yêu - sweetheart<br/>tình yêu của tôi - my love</p><p>dreams and nightmares are a big deal for me. When i am stressed, burnt out, or dealing with anxiety, i have some very unsettling dreams, so id imagine Quynh's dreams would be pretty horrible.</p><p>I recently went through a rough patch with someone i loved and i still loved them despite it. but my dreams during the whole ordeal were very distressing and angry and frustrated, even though i knew i still cared for them and didn't plan on parting paths from them. I could see Quynh still loving Andy but trying to come to terms with the betrayal and frustration she no doubt felt for all those centuries.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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